A free comeback concert by BTS in central Seoul next week is expected to draw up to 2,60,000 people, South Korea’s Ministry of the Interior and Safety said on Wednesday.
This would make the upcoming event one of the largest public gatherings in the venue since the 2002 FIFA World Cup.
Some 22,000 holders of free tickets will attend the concert, but the area will be open for non-ticket holders who want to come, Interior Minister Yun Ho-jung said.
Authorities plan to deploy around 4,800 police officers and 3,400 officials from the city of Seoul and related organisations to manage crowd flow, emergency response and anti-terrorism measures, local media reported.
Yun emphasized a “safety-first” approach, including pre-event structural inspections, real-time joint command operations and immediate post-event cleanup.
“This event will showcase not just K-culture, but K-safety,” he said.
Police have said camping out overnight cannot be stopped but large tents will not be allowed, according to local media. Multilingual guides and medical stations will be set up and Seoul has secured 894 toilets that are open to the public in nearby buildings.
Since the deadly Itaewon Halloween crowd crush that killed 159 in Seoul, South Korea has remained on high alert for mass-gathering risks.
Arirang, the band’s comeback album, is set to drop on March 20, a day before the livestream. The upcoming album marks BTS’s return as a group four years after the 2022 anthology album Proof.
Last week, BTS unveiled the tracklist of their album, which includes titles like Body to Body, Hooligan, Aliens, FYA, 2.0, No. 29, and the lead single SWIM. Other songs include Merry Go Round, NORMAL, Like Animals, they don’t know ’bout us, One More Night, Please, and Into the Sun.
BTS The Comeback Live | Arirang will be streamed live from Seoul’s historic Gwanghwamun Square, with fans across the world expected to tune in.
In India, fans can stream the comeback live show on March 21 at 4.30pm on Netflix.
